A Barrie man's own experience with fighting cancer has prompted him to help others who are in the same situation.
Frank Nelson has only met Nicole Jannis briefly before, but this time, he's pulling up a chair in her home and handing over a cheque worth $1,000. Jannis is currently battling breast cancer, a battle Nelson knows all too well.
“About a year ago my doctor said to me that a cure was no longer possible, but we would continue with chemotherapy,” says Nelson. “I wanted to do sort of a bucket list."
Nelson has been battling cancer for the past four years. When doctors told him he only had a year to live, he got to work.
“I asked my family to get together, my two daughters and my wife, and I said look, I know this may sound crazy and it's not the treatment affecting me. I really want to take $1,000 and give it to a stranger.”
Nelson started a Facebook group called Paying it Back. Close to 7,000 people have joined, and have posted stories about families who could use a little support.
The group has helped Nelson get in touch with several people, including an Angus man who was in need of a wheelchair. The most recent recipient are two Barrie parents and their 13-month-old son, Denzel. He surprised the family at Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital with a $1,000 cheque.
“When you see the happy tears, the hugs the smiles, it's just all worth it,” says Nelson. “It really has done a lot for me. More than anybody will ever know.”
Nelson plans to surprise 50 families. Little Denzel made number 26.
